The Yanks appear to have another vintage squad of the oughts.  Playoff bound, but not enough to get it done in October.  Robinson Cano has to be one of the most unheralded superstars at the second base position.  If he does it for 10 more years, the sky is the limit in that ballpark…I seriously can’t get enough of Jon Lester.  He has no hit stuff every time and he is fun to watch…If Tampa has any hopes of getting back to post-season play, they need to have a couple awesome months from James Shields.  I see a pitcher who has nearly the same skill set as he did in 07 and 08 but has failed to win in any of his last 6 starts.  He is a great buy low candidate…Doc Halladay appears to being staying put and I believe its a good move.  I can’t even imagine opening day in Toronto next season without him toeing the slab.  Scott Downs has struggled since returning from the DL and is in jeopardy to losing his closer role to Jason Frasor…Chris Tillman’s debut was one to forget, however the other two pieces of the Erik Bedard trade (Adam Jones, George Sherrill) have been more than excellent.  Jim Johnson should close out games for Baltimore following the trade of Sherrill.

Justin Verlander has been so unreal this season that its hard to believe.  He will push for 280 k’s.  Curtis Granderson will crush his career high in homers this season but his BA (.259) pales in comparison to his last two seasons.  I hate when managers lead off guys that can run but are better suited for the middle of the order (Kinsler, Sizemore, Soriano, Hanley Ramirez in past years)…The Twins are in serious trouble with Kevin Slowey calling it a season.  Their rotation went from potentially frisky to unbelievably awful in a few months.  They should be sellers, but honestly who would you sell?…The ChiSox had a rough weekend in Detroit and may have put them sliding on the slippery slope.  There just isn’t a lot to like here…Cleveland has officially called it a season.  Expect Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez to go in the next two days…I thought Luke Hochevar had turned the corner with his last few outings.  But he proved to me that its always what have you done for me lately.  Mixed leaguers, run away.  Do not walk.  Wow.  This division is horrible.

Speaking of horrible divisions, lets get into the roundup of the AL West.  Kendry Morales is doing his best Vladimir Guerrero impression.  I just looked up and Anaheim is 20 games over.  Wow.  Vlad has 396 career jacks and looks like he will have a tough time getting to 400…  The Rangers are somehow hanging around with their classic jacksmoke rotation.  But wait, the entire division is too…Seattle has made a great decision on selling.  Jarrod Washburn is a professional and I think he is a good back end starter.  But just remember when you thought Nick Blackburn was the second coming six weeks ago.  Washburn isn’t that much of a difference…Billy Beane does it again with the Matt Holliday trade.  Brett Wallace has to play in the American League.

Despite the division races being close heading into August.  I see no changes here.  We will have the same four teams in the playoffs and New York and Boston will duke it out in the ALCS just like they did in 2003 and 2004.  Tampa Bay is easily the league’s third best team and will not see the playoffs.  The AL doesn’t even sniff how good it was in any of the past 5 seasons.

There is no doubt that Philadelphia improved immensely with the acquisition of Cliff Lee.  However, this is a huge stepdown from Halladay.  Philadelphia’s ace is another lefty and back end starters J.A. Happ and Jaime Moyer are also southpaws.  This may not seem like a huge ordeal but a potential matchup with Chicago or St. Louis in the post-season would be a downer.  Both are very right hand heavy and crush lefties.  Of course, Philly has all the good left handed hitting.  Their bigger issue may be the fact that Brad Lidge will be closing out playoff games.  I know he was historically unreal last year but sometimes you just gotta cut your losses…Hanley Ramirez appears to be the biggest threat from Albert Pujols winning the triple crown.  He should win the batting title and keep AP from winning all three.  When Matt Lindstrom returns from the DL, he should not be pitching in high pressure situations…I feel the Braves have a little friskiness going but now Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez have decided to struggle and give away leads.  Atlanta knows that feeling all too well in recent years…S.O.S. Carlos Beltran.  Ok, when was Jose Reyes due back?  Washington has a solid 10 road victories and an empty new ballpark.

The Cardinals struck gold with the import of Matt Holliday and the Cubs appear to be hitting their stride with the return of Aramis Ramirez.  These two are huge rivals and just may finally meet in October.  That would be awesome…Milwaukee really needed Cliff Lee and Houston really needed Roy Oswalt to avoid the shelf.  Both had the wrong answer and are non contenders the rest of the way…Cincinnati continues to be a major disappointment.  They should sell but all their export candidates have high salaries…Pittsburgh made a few trades and judging from their history probably did not get any better.  Prospect Tim Alderson is a little exciting though (Sanchez trade) .

Is it just me or did the Dodgers peak way too early?  Chad Billingsley seems to be a shadow of his earlier season self.  Thank God for Clayton Kershaw.  This team really needs Jonathan Broxton to stay healthy…Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko are not the answer for San Francisco.  The Giants cannot lose any of Lincecum or Cain’s starts for the rest of the year…I am tired of hearing about how great Marquis, De La Rosa, Hammel and Cook have been.  It is boring and not built to last into October…Arizona didn’t get nearly for Felipe Lopez what Pittsburgh got for Freddy Sanchez.  Sometimes its all about who is traded first or how close it is to the deadline…San Diego phenom Mat Latos may have lost that second t from his name, but hasn’t lost either of his last two despite playing for the Fathers.  He looks legit…

The Dodgers and Phils are locks and I can’t imagine the NL playoffs without the 2009 Cardinals.  They appear to have that swagger again.  I expect the Cubs to be the other playoff team and I don’t think its that close.  The Cardinals matchup much better with LA than Philly so that is something to keep in mind.

BoSox could use an upgrade at short.  Jhonny Peralta is avail and Boston has the pieces to get him.  Last year,  Boston got a struggling star in Bay and it was just the move he needed.  The Yanks are holding steady.  Expect a quick explosion from the offense following the All-Star Break.  It hasn’t even gotten hot in the Bronx yet.  Teixeira, A-Rod, and Cano are in line for monster second halves.  Tampa has finally found an identity at the back end of their pen with J.P. Howell, now all they need is Scott Kazmir to return to form.  David Price is taking his rookie lumps and Shields and Garza could use another rock.  Toronto needs to find another division.  Rick Romero has shown me enough to make me a believer.  I love Scott Richmond’s demeanor on the bump.  Vernon Wells and Alex Rios picked a bad year to stink up the joint; Adam Lind and Aaron Hill say that they aren’t heavy.  Baltimore finally has a foundation for the future and alls I can say is its about time.

The unsung hero for Detroit this year?  Brandon Inge.  He, along with Verlander and Edwin Jackson, is the reason they are looking in the rear view mirror at the rest of the division…Nick Blackburn continues to work well with smoke and mirrors out on the mound and it is nice to see.  Perhaps he can pass some of his magic to former ace Francisco Liriano.  I have come to the conclusion that Justin Morneau is the most underrated hitter in the game.  He’s won an MVP, consistently hits for power and average and I still feel he doesn’t get his due.  Perhaps its because of where he plays.  Joe Nathan has been twice the pitcher of Francisco Rodriguez for 6 straight years now and K-Rod is still seen as the better guy because he has played in bigger markets.  The ChiSox need a strong return from Carlos Quentin and I’m very skeptical he returns with a bullet.  This team desperately needs to make a move in a division that can be had.  I really believed the Royals were legit contenders back in March.  Despite Zack Greinke’s incredible season, this team will be at or near the bottom come September.  You can’t win with a lineup of punching judy’s.  They have really missed Alex Gordon.  Get Gordon next year…  Its time to blow up the Cleveland Indians.  I say make everyone availiable but Sizemore and V-Mart and rebuild the farm system.  Perhaps they can pull the wool over the eyes like they did when they acquired Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and Sizemore for Bartolo Colon back in 2000.

Still waiting for Vlad the impaler to become, well Vlad the impaler.  Slowly but surely he’s getting there.  Jered Weaver had a big bounceback start after 3 poor ones, yielding 3 earned over 7 against Texas.  Weaver k’d 9 and threw a season high 118 pitches.  I’m gonna go out on a limb, but I feel this put the Angels in first place for the rest of the year….Texas just cannot win with the jags they run out there to the hill.  They really have never had a good starting pitcher during this decade.  Ouch.  Jarrod Washburn twirled a 1 hit gem Monday against Baltimore.  Don’t be fooled Seattle front office, trade Erik Bedard and build for the future.  Adrian Beltre is out until September and you don’t have staying power…Who is Billy Beane going to jokey smurf this season?  Holliday is inevitably on the move.  The only question is where.  Well here’s a sleeper team for you…The Florida Marlins.  Do you believe in the every six year rule?  1997, 2003, 2009…

Cole Hamels just has to get right.  The huge run support probably helped Monday, but the big strikeout totals just haven’t been there.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits the DL once before the end of the year.  Dan Uggla just hasn’t been the same after his embarassing showing in last year’s All-Star game.  During the game where he struck out, hit into double plays, and made multiple errors has carried over into last year’s second half and the first 3 months of this season.  He has to have a couple hot streaks in him yet…The Mets are a joke and I am officially worried about Johan.  21 k’s in his last 7 starts is very Jon Garland like.  They will be lucky to finish .500 after all you so called experts were penciling them in for the Fall Classic.  I still love the McLouth trade for Atlanta as they saw a chance to get him and build for the future at the same time.  He will flourish in Dixie.  Washington might as well throw Strasburg out there in September.  I’ve never seen a team have such a gap between their studs and then everyone else.  After Dunn and Z-pac they seem to have about 4 major league players.

St. Louis’s pick up of DeRosa was a wily move as they got him for next to nothing.  TLR will now probably attempt to play him at every position on the diamond…Ryan Braun called out Milwaukee’s front office and pitching staff.  And I love it.  If you get a free minute, check out the Crew’s schedule for the rest of July and August.  It is an absolute joke and with 2 very good starters and 3 decent ones they could cruise to 90 victories.  Bedard would be a great fit here.  Chicago has to find a way to get Jake Fox in the lineup.  He obviously is a liability anywhere defensively, but I have seen just about enough of the Milton Bradley show.  Randy Wells has been a godsend…Cincinnati desperately needs Edinson Volquez and a left fielder.  I’m still waiting for Edwin Encarnacion to capitalize on his ability…I may be waiting a while.  Houston should seriously shop Miguel Tejada and Jose Valverde.  They need some youth.  The Pirates are still the Pirates and there is currently no light at the end of the tunnel.

If I’m the Dodgers, I am parlaying Juan Pierre for a team that needs an outfielder/leadoff man.  He was awesome while Manny was out and still sucks as an OBP guy and is a liability in the outfield.  San Fran is supposedly courting Freddy Sanchez and he would fit in nicely there.  Is it an eye opener?  Absolutely not but it could make a difference.  Colorado seems to want to hang around this thing.  I wish they would just find some more PT for Seth Smith, who is underrated and deserves a chance to play more.  Its a lost season for San Diego and Arizona as both team’s opening day starters probably won’t throw again this season.  If they were healthy at least they could get them something in a trade.

Let’s take a closer look at the standings with 100 games to go.

Easily the best division in baseball.  The group features 4 teams over .500 and a young Baltimore team that is definitely on the rise.  Toronto has overachieved despite the struggles of Vernon Wells and Alex Rios…There’s no doubt Roy Halladay is the most important pitcher to his team in baseball.  Tampa has a World Series hangover and no bullpen relief in sight.  Boston and New York are on a collision course in October.

This baby is wide-open.  I feel all 5 of these teams have underachieved.  Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota are all going to be buyers.  Cleveland should be a buyer, but are more likely to shop guys like DeRosa and Cliff Lee.  Scott Baker has righted the ship in recent turns and I feel this is the Twins division.  The M and M boys look possessed and a trio of Liriano-Slowey-Baker is more than formidable.

I hate this division with a passion.  First off, it only has four teams.  Second, none are good.  I like watching the Rangers hit too but none of their starters could pitch on any 90 win team.  Seattle has been somewhat of a surprise because of a very anemic offense.  Oakland has kept their heads afloat with the scrap heap starting pitching of youngsters….they obviously know what they are doing.  Its enevitable Anaheim will come out on top before this thing is over and could you even imagine where they would be without the tear of Torii Hunter and the dominance of Jered Weaver?

I still can’t figure this one out.  I have always thought the Mets were overrated from the beginning because of a very poor staff after Johan.  Without a healthy Carlos Delgado their offense doesn’t seem special either.  Florida was white hot in April and have found Earth since, but I still think they can hang around as long as Ricky Nolasco gets right.  I love the McLouth move for Atlanta, but they just don’t have enough horses.  Philadelphia is the favorite.

I never would have guessed the Brew Crew would have been here with that awful starting pitching (Parra, Looper, Suppan), but I guess similar versions have worked in St. Louis.  St. Louis is either gonna need an explosion from Ryan Ludwick or reinforcements on the hill.  I think Ludwick will be okay but I doubt they get either.  As long as their big 3 stay healthy (Pujols, Carpenter, Wainwright), they will be in it all year.  Chicago is apparently waiting for Aramis Ramirez to get back.  Its probably the way to go considering a month to six weeks of Garret Atkins isn’t the answer.  Chicago’s offense has to be considered one of the biggest disappointments in baseball.  The big sleeper here is Cincinnati.  I love their make-up and rotation.  Give me a healthy Joey Votto and a hitter in left field and they could be playing in October.

Even with Manny on maternity leave, the Dodgers can stay in cruise control.  If the season ended today, your wild card winners would be the San Francisco Giants.  Their problems are obvious and without a cavalry arriving before the deadline I don’t see post-season play in their future.  Despite the 11 game win streak, I still see the Rox as sellers.  Street, Atkins and Helton will all be on the move.  Arizona has been my biggest disappointment in the league thus far.  Expect Brandon Webb to be the biggest piece on the market, with Padres ace Jake Peavy going down.